Patient Rights & Privacy

This section includes detailed information about -your rights as a patient at Copley Hospital, -if you should have a complaint or grievance, -your responsibilities as a patient at Copley Hospital

Your Rights as A Patient at Copley Hospital

You are a partner in the health care you receive. To obtain the most effective care possible, we at Copley Hospital believe you must be well informed, be involved in treatment decisions and communicate openly with health care professionals who are providing your care. Copley respects your personal preferences and values.

Based on Copley's values and mission, the board of directors, the medical staff and the employees of Copley Hospital jointly affirm and recognize that you have the following rights and responsibilities.

To receive considerate and respectful care free of verbal or physical abuse or harassment.

To have your medical records maintained in a confidential manner unless reporting is required by law, or you have given permission to release information.

To know by name the attending physician primarily responsible for coordinating your care.

To receive evaluation of pain and effective means of pain management in a timely manner.

To receive compassionate palliative care at the end of life.

To access people outside the hospital by means of visitors and verbal or written communication.

To have an interpreter if a language barrier or a hearing impairment makes it difficult for you to understand your care/treatment.

To be informed as to any relationship between the hospital and any other health care provider insofar as your care is concerned.

To consent to or refuse treatment throughout your hospital stay and to be informed of the consequences.

To consult with a specialist at your own request and expense.

To receive a complete explanation of a need for transfer to another facility along with the alternatives to such a transfer.

To request an explanation of the charges for hospital services.

To know the hospital rules and regulations that apply to you as a patient.

To expect privacy, to the extent feasible, during provision of care.

To have immediate family members, guardians or reciprocal beneficiaries stay with you 24 hours a day whenever possible, if you are terminally ill.

To have a parent or guardian stay with you 24 hours a day, whenever possible, if you are a pediatric patient.

To expect a secure environment while you are a patient.

To be free from restraints, unless interventions have been determined to be ineffective.

To review your medical record and to have information explained.

To receive information about any continuing health care requirements or supports before you are discharged.

To have access to spiritual and psychological support.

To complete advance directives, with assistance if needed, and to know that they will be honored.

To know about hospital resources, such as patient representatives and the Ethics Committee, which may help resolve problems or questions about your hospital stay and care.

To obtain, from the physician coordinating your care, complete and current information concerning your diagnosis, treatment and any known prognosis in terms that you can understand, including options related to Act 39 Patient Choice and Control at the End of Life (Physician Aid in Dying).

To give your consent, or if you are unable to understand or are not competent, to have an immediate family member, guardian or a reciprocal beneficiary, obtain from the physician coordinating your care, complete and current information concerning your diagnosis, treatment and any known prognosis in terms he/she can understand.

To have complete and current information made available to an immediate family member, guardian or reciprocal beneficiary when it is not medically advisable to give it to you.

To be given all information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure or treatment.

To refuse to take part in research affecting your care.

To report a grievance to the Department of Aging and Disabilities, Division of Licensing and Protection without first reporting to the hospital.

As a patient you have the responsibility:

To provide accurate information about your health, including past illness, and other matters relating to your health status.

To ask questions when you do not understand information or instructions.

To follow the treatment plan decided upon by you and your health care team.

To report unexpected changes in your condition to the nurse or physician.

To recognize the effect that your lifestyle may have on your health.

To inform care givers of specific needs with regard to personal values and beliefs.

To observe safety regulations and respect our smoking policy.

To be considerate of other patients by respecting their privacy and by limiting visitors.

To treat hospital personnel with consideration and respect.

To provide information about insurance and to arrange payment when necessary.

To provide a copy of your Advance Directive to the hospital and your physician if one has been made.

To promptly report any grievance related to the quality of care you receive.

Grievance and Complaint Process If you have a grievance or a complaint to file, we have a process available to you. The purpose of this process is to improve the quality of care and service to our customers. If you have an immediate concern, you are encouraged to communicate this to any of the following:

the person providing you with the service

the department manager of the service involved or the nursing supervisor

You are entitled to these rights regardless of sex, race, cultural, economic, educational or religious background or the source of payment for your health care.

All your rights as a health care consumer also apply to the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding your health care.

HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices

Copley Hospital uses health information about you for treatment, to obtain payment for treatment, for administrative purposes, and to evaluate the quality of care you receive. Your health information is contained in a medical record that is the physical property of Copley Hospital.

We respect your right to privacy and make every effort to maintain confidentiality. According to the federal law named the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act" (HIPAA), you have rights concerning the use of individually identifiable health information. Only individuals with a legitimate "need to know" may access, use or disclose patient information.